Top Gun, the hallmark of summer, was rolling with success in its 17th annual year. With throngs of participants and volunteers ages 16-40, the tournament lived up to its name as “the summer’s signature event.” More than just a fun-filled day of tournaments and thousands of community members, it is a meaningful fundraising event whose proceeds finance our community’s children to attend many different summer camps. As Ezra Bibi and Eddie D. Sitt explained, “Top Gun is a great experience for the youth of our community to do what they love and contribute to the community at the same time.”

The setting was perfection. The gorgeous land of the Jerome’s, the delicacies of Zami Catering, a beautiful Chinese Auction and most importantly, our community’s up-beat attitude were all in attendance.

Someone’s luggage inevitably comes off the conveyor belt first. The odds (compared to, say, winning the state lottery) are not really that heavily stacked against you, especially on a local flight. Yet after years of watching other people’s luggage pass me by as I vainly waited for my non-descript suitcases, the one time mine came out first, I was in a state of disbelief. In my wildest dreams I never thought that I would be the lucky one!

I quickly filed the experience away in my “happiness” dossier and let its sappy sweetness soak my inner discontent. The problem, of course, is that within 20 minutes I was back into my just-off-the-plane-and-I’m-hot, irritable, impatient state that is as familiar and comfortable as an old shoe. Genuine happiness had eluded me once again.

Rosh Hashanah
Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20
It is customary to sound the shofar and blow trumpets at the coronation of a king. Similarly, on Rosh Hashanah, we crown G-d as king over the universe at large and over each of us in particular.

The sound of the shofar is to awaken people to repent and return to G-d. The shofar represents a simple outcry of a person who recognized his spiritual “poverty” and whose feelings cannot be contained in words. It is compared to a forlorn child in a distant country who has forgotten the language of his people and his father, the king. When he returns to his father his only means of communication is his simple cry, which his father recognizes. He lifts the child up to be close to him. Similarly, when Rosh Hashanah comes we realize we have lost our common language with our Father in Heaven, so from the bottom of our soul we cry out, “Father, Father,” to which G-d responds. This then turns us toward Him to lead our lives in accordance with His will. He accepts our prayers and is willing to be Master of the Universe and grant us a good and sweet year.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg

Leadership is a difficult quality to quantify. There are many immeasurable characteristics that comprise what we consider to be the quintessential leader. We want someone who is unflappable under pressure, who possesses a keen understanding of the problems at hand, the ability to create and execute a plan to improve the status quo and a record of successful performance. Our community has high standards for our leaders and an expectation that they will constantly deliver results.

With a mayoral race looming on the horizon, we closely examined the individuals vying to be mayor of the City of New York. We studied their public service records and considered who would be the best person to lead this city for the next four years. We concluded that only one of the candidates possesses the leadership qualities necessary to guide New York into the future. That person is Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Our shlicheem help people all over the world through the unique strength of prayers uttered at the Western Wall, while at the same time raising money for Torah institutions as well as families and individuals involved in Torah learning in Jerusalem.

Are you seeking a shidduch, praying for a loved one’s recovery from illness, davening for parnossa and job security or for deeper understanding of the depth of Torah and more? Now, whether you are in Israel and can travel to the Kotel daily yourself, or are in Israel but a distance from the Kotel, or live in the Diaspora and need someone to go and say Tefillos on your behalf, you can have Rabbanim and/or Talmudei Chachamim praying simultaneously at the Kotel with you as you pray for whatever it is you seek.

Memognet
Pictures On Magnet !
Memory With Love Forever ..

Special attraction for parties events and celebrations .. On The Spot !

Jewish motorcyclists from around the country joined the Jewish Motorcyclists Alliance’s (JMA) Fifth Annual Ride to Remember (R2R) recently in Savannah, Georgia. The Chai Riders Motorcycle Club rode from New York to Savannah to join in the fun and help raise money for a worthy cause.

The Ride to Remember is a fundraising project with proceeds going to Holocaust remembrance groups and other Jewish organizations. This year funds were raised for the planned Holocaust Educator’s Lending Library. Past Rides to Remember have benefited the Paper Clips Project in Whitwell, Tennessee, Magen David Adom and the National Holocaust Endowment Fund.

According to the Jerusalem Post, the Department of Homeland Security has allocated $1.83 million to boost safety at Jewish institutions in Brooklyn.

More than two dozen Jewish organizations in Brooklyn, including yeshivot, synagogues and the Children’s Museum, will receive funds as part of the program, in an effort to offset security costs at non-profit institutions considered particularly high-risk by officials.

The back-to-school season is, for all intents and purposes, a period of pure parental mayhem. From tracking down the coolest backpack on the block to searching out that elusive five subject, wide-ruled, perforated spiral notebook that our child needs for Hebrew class, our to-do lists seem virtually endless.

Still for many modern parents, the stress of preparing our kids for their return to academia pales in comparison to the pressure we endure once they actually get there. After all, in our achievement-obsessed society, it often feels that our parental efficacy is directly correlated with our children’s standardized test scores. It’s no wonder that the sheer thought of homework, report cards and parent-teacher conferences has our stomach turning somersaults.

Being eco-friendly isn’t limited to the car you drive or the appliances you buy, and it doesn’t have to mean sacrificing convenience, quality or budget. In fact, it’s time to stop feeling guilty about not being able to do it all and make a few small changes to help the environment.

One easy way to live a more earth-conscious lifestyle is to turn brown bag lunches green this school year. By thinking green every time you pack a lunch, you can save money and take a small step forward for the environment.

Do right by your wallet and the environment with these simple tips:

Buy Local Foods
Look for a farmer’s market or grocery store that promotes locally grown and produced food.